Transcript
Cry of the Stolen People tells the story of blackbirding, the abductions of Tokelauans, and their sale into slavery in the world's last slave market in Peru.
It's the brainchild of three artists in residence at Porirua's Whitireia Polytech.
"Malo ni, ko toku igoa ko Mohe Viliamu, Moses Viliamu. Taloha ni, toku igoa ko Jack Kirifi. Malo ni, ko toku igoa ko Hakalea Mateo."
Moses, Jack and Zac went to high school together, then studied at Whitireia in the early 2000's.
Moses Viliamu says they became artists in residence during last year's Te Vāiaho o te Gagana Tokelau, Tokelau Language Week.
"We were only supposed to be here for a month but then they decided to keep us on for another year. From October we were here but then in February we applied to Creative NZ to be part of the Pacific festival in Hawai'i in 2020 in June. And we got accepted."
Kirifi says they submitted a project that was new and different which must have resonated with the selection panel, particularly as first time applicants.
"So with Creative NZ we're so grateful and thankful for their support. When we found out about the acceptance of our application, early this year, we said wow this is it, this is an opportunity and a platform for telling stories on behalf of our tupuna, our ancestors."
The installation is a very modern form of audio-visual story-telling using images projected on to three screens which allude to the sails of the slave ships but represent the three Tokelau atolls of Nukunonu, Atafu and Fakaofo as well.
The imagery graphically tells the brutal story of abduction and upheaval but in the beautiful iconography of Tokelau using traditional wood-block prints.
Moses Viliamu says the story of the abductions, and the slave ships and markets of Peru still brings grief to the hearts of their people.
"Not many people really talk about it. I think they just kind of, like, know of it but they don't really talk about it that much, which is what we found out when we did our installation, that lots of people were very emotional and very touched and they said this really needs to be talked about a lot more with our own people and community."
By 1872, the population of Tokelau had plummeted to 85 people, mainly old men and women or children.
The music used is Te Vaka's Tagi Sina, which mourns their loss, imploring the boat to turn around.
Zac Mateo says they really had to think laterally to come up with the format and media for the installation.
"So we dreamed, we brainstormed, we prayed and as we kept pushing our ideas we came up with something that we thought was pretty unique and pretty exciting."
The on screen computer graphics are rendered from images that are hand drawn or painted.
They illustrate the stories researched about the era including iconography and tattoo styles that have been lost as a result of blackbirding.
Jack Kirifi says the installation has been showing to Porirua's Tokelau community as part of Tokelau Language Week as a story of survival.
"This week ends with the celebration of our culture. On one side, this is our story then. On the other side, this is us now so the resilience, that strength, we want that to come through for our future generations."
With refinements made from the community's feedback Cry of the Stolen People will represent Tokelau at next year's Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture in Hawai'i.
